Rolling seat for boats



(No Model.)

B. JQKERNS.

ROLLING SEAT FOR BOATS. 7 No. 392,867. Patented Nov. l3 1888.

N, PEIEns. Phob-Lilhu n her, wumn mn. D.c.

EDWARD J. KERNS, OF \VOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROLLING SEAT FOR BOATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 892,867, dated November13, 1888.

Applicationfiled September 24, 1888. Serial No. 286,161. (No model.)

full, clear, and exact description thereof, which,

in connection with the drawings making a part of this specification,will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention belongs tomake and use the same.

Myinvention relates to roller-seats for rowboats, and more particularlyto certain novel features of construction of the track on which therollers run, as will be hereinafter described.

The object of my invention is to produce a roller-seat, especiallydesigned and adapted for racing boats, in which there shall be the leastpossible friction and the least expenditure of strength to cause theseat to roll or move back and forth, and at the same time to produce avery light yet durable and strong roller-seat, and one which willoutwear the roller-seats for boats now in general use.

The essential feature of my invention consists in the improvedconstruction of the tracks on which the rollers run and are guided, theform of the track, and the material of which it is made, as will behereinafter fully described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of my improvedroller-seat and track. Fig. 2 is a side view; Fig. 3, a crosssection online a: m, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, same figure;and Fig. 4 represents on an enlarged scale a cross-section on line 3 yof one of the tracks.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is the seat proper, supported upon andsecured to the side bars, 2. Each side bar, 2, is supported upon twopairs of rollers or trucks, 3. The rollers 3 are preferably made ofbrass joined together by a steel axle, and the inner surface of eachroller is smooth and polished. Upon the lower surface of the side bars,2, are secured steel plates 4 for bearings for the axles of the rollers3, and the axles are confined to the bearing-plates 4 by a thin band ofmetal, 5, secured to the side bars, 2. The bands 5 in no way obstructthe revolutions of the rollers 3, as each pair of rollers can playfreely over a surface between the bent ends of the confining-bands 5, asclearly shown in Fig. 2. A side guide or hook, 6, extends down from theouter sideof each side bar, 2,with its lower end extending over andadapted to slide along a rib, 7, projecting from the outer side of track8. The purpose of the hook 6 is to hold the rollerseat down in positionupon the tracks 8 when the boat is turned over. The tracks 8 upon whichthe rollers run are made of strips of wood,9, in this instance coveredupon the top surface with a veneer of vulcanized fiber, 10, which servesas a bearing upon which the rollers 3 run. Along the center of eachstrip 9 over the vulcanized fiber 10, extends longitudinally aguide-rib, 11, having projecting edges at its upper part. In thisinstance the upper surface of the guide-rib 11 is covered with a veneerof vulcanized fiber, 12, the edges 12 of which project beyond the edges'of the guide-rib 11 and form the projecting edges of I said guideribabove referred to.

The guide-rib 11 is, in this instance, secured by screws 13 to the strip9 and serves to keep the veneer of vulcanized fiber 10 down in place onsaid strip 9, and the screws 13 hold the veneer of vulcanized fiber 12in place on the guide-rib 11. By means of the projecting edges of theguide-rib 11,1 lessen the bearing-surface for the inner surface of therollers 3 and bring it nearer the axis thereof, thus reducing very muchthe friction in case of any side motion of the roller-seat in therocking of the boat. At the same time I prevent the rollers from runningup on the guidarib 11 and getting off the track. I

By the employment of veneers of vulcanized fiber to cover the topsurface of the tracks on which the roller-seat moves back and forth Ilessen the weight of the tracks, I produce a noiseless bearing-surfacefor the rollers to run on and one which will offer the least possiblefriction, and at the same time furnish a durable, cheap, and easily-madetrack.

The advantages of my improved construction of roller-seat for boatswillbe readily un derstood by those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a track for roller-seats of boats, the combination,with the trackon which the rollers run,of a central guide-rib extending longitudinally on said track and having projecting tion,with the seat, sidebars, and rollers,of the edges,f0r the purpose stated, substantially astracks covered with a veneer of vulcanized set forth. fiber on which therollers run, having a cenr 5 2. In a track for roller-seats of beats,the tral guide-rib covered with vulcanized fiber,

5 e0mbination,with a strip of wood covered with the edges of whichproject beyond the edges a veneer of vulcanized fiber on which therollof said guide-rib, for the purpose stated, sirbers 1'un,0f a centralguide-rib of wood covered stantially as shown and described. with aveneer of vulcanized fiber; the edges of which project beyond-the edgesof said guide- I EDWARD KERNS' 1o rib, for the purpose stated,substantially as \Vitnesses:

shown and described. J OHN O. DEWEY,

3. In a roller-seat for beats, the eombina- I CLARENCE M. SOI-I FI LD.

